Smart personalities and interdisciplinary skills: STILL trains the innovators of tomorrow

Today marks the start of an exciting learning period for the 87 trainees and dual students at STILL. The STILL training team is welcoming the largest cohort of future innovators with the traditional "Welcome Day". After a warm welcome, the young professionals are given a first insight into their future working environment and the intralogistics specialist’s product world. Over the next few weeks, they can expect a rich and varied onboarding programme, with plenty of room for team building, networking and integration into the company's structures and culture, as well as professional topics. 

Communication at eye level: Trainees welcome trainees 

In addition to the training team and the master craftsmen and women, trainees and students from previous years are also involved in the preparation and implementation of the onboarding programme. This is because early integration into interdisciplinary projects, working in cross-functional teams and consistent training in presentation skills are important aspects of training at STILL, in addition to technical skills. The company also attaches great importance to communication at eye level: "And who could help our new trainees and students to enter the STILL world more authentically than those who were in the same position just a year ago?" explains STILL Training Manager Jan Wehlen.

Smart, flexible, team-oriented and self-confident – the innovators of the future

Participants in the 2024 training and study programme can also look forward to an eventful time in which they will learn the full range of personal skills needed for a successful career. "To meet the future challenges of intralogistics, the industry needs highly trained specialists and smart leaders," explains Jan Wehlen. ‘And in our dynamic, volatile and global world, skills such as working in interdisciplinary teams, confidence in presentations and discussions, networking and a high degree of personal responsibility and flexibility are important success factors."

Unforgettable experiences: Young professionals as part of interdisciplinary event teams

Several times a year, STILL organises major events for customers, partners or employees, such as the International Customer Day, the Christmas Market for STILL employees or, most recently, the STILL Family & Friends Day with more than 6,000 guests at the Hamburg plant. These events are prepared and organised by a large team over many weeks with a great deal of technical effort and attention to detail.

Being part of the project teams is an unforgettable experience for young professionals and a unique opportunity to develop new skills, discover passions beyond one's own area of expertise and contribute to the success of the events as part of a larger whole. On a voluntary basis, they can help with the preparations, take responsibility for  Smart personalities and interdisciplinary skills: STILL trains the innovators of tomorrow building parts of the equipment or take on organisational tasks. Trainees and students are also involved in the day-to-day running of the event, assisting with guest care and service, and sometimes even taking part in the stage programme. "Our trainees and students are always very enthusiastic about taking part in our events," says Jan Wehlen. "Here they experience the spirit of our company particularly intensively and grow even more into the STILL family. Last but not least, they gain visibility within the company, have the opportunity to present themselves internally and make new contacts." For example, at the traditional STILL Christmas market, where managers work together with trainees and students to look after the culinary well-being of the workforce. A win-win situation - because of course the company also benefits from the support. “Jan Wehlen also emphasises this: “We are very grateful that our young employees support us so actively. They play an important role in enabling us to organise our major events in the way that only a well-functioning, enthusiastic and reliable team can".

Visibility and trust: Special projects for trainees and students

In addition to the events, there are various special projects in which STILL trainees and students have the opportunity to try things out, take on responsibility, develop their personal skills and play an active role in the STILL family. For example, trainees designed and built an oversized marble run for a trade fair, while others designed storage structures for the annual Christmas market stalls - "Projects that would not be possible without our trainees and students," emphasises Jan Wehlen. The same applies to their participation in representative events. STILL is happy to entrust the young talents with presenting the company at training fairs, networking events and careers guidance programmes in schools. For good reason, because all these activities do more than any theoretical lessons to promote the structured presentation of information, speaking in front of others and dealing with discussion situations - skills that are indispensable in today's and tomorrow's professional world.

At the start of the 2024 training year, STILL will be training a total of 248 young talents at eight locations across Germany in six different apprenticeships and nine dual study programmes. Find the entire training programme at www.still.de/karriere.